Improvement in land-rollers



PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN VOOLRIDGE, OF DEANS COBNERS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS HIS RIGHT TOABEL B. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAND-ROLLERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 151,332, dated May 26,i874; application filed March 14, 1874.

ing for its object to dispense with the usual frame used for thispurpose; and consists in providing the roller-at a point near the centerof each rollerwith a journal or shaft suitably arranged to allow eachroller, through the medium of the journal and its boxes, to have amotion independent of its forward or backward movement, to conform tothe undulations of the ground; and it also consists in the combinationof parts, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, A represents the iixed roller; A', the movable roller;B, the tongue or draft-pole C, bar to which the axle of the xed rolleris attached; l), hinged bar to which the axle of the movable roller isattached; E, journal; F, socket; Gr, axles; H, openings in the rollers;I, hub; a, pin by which the draft-pole is attached; c, rear end of thebar O; d, socket or guide; e, hinge; f, braces; g, collar, and h nut forholding the axle in place. The rollers A A are made of iron or othersuitable material, and are provided in the center with a hub, I, asshown at Fig. 3. They are connected to the draft-bars C D by means ofstationary axles (Jr. Each axle is provided with a collar, F, whichprevents the approach of the rollers to the draftbars. The journal E,upon which the roller revolves, is provided with a longitudinal slotconverging toward the center, as shown at Fig. 3, so as to come incontact at that point with the axle, which is square at this point andits the opening of the journal E. That part of the journal E coming incontact with the collar F is of circular or convex form to fit orcorrespond to the concave or recessed part of the collar F, thus makinga partial balland-socket joint. This gives the roller a free verticalmovement at either end, without giving it any lateral movement to throwit ont of line of the draft. The hub I ts over and revolves upon thejournal E, and is held in place by means of a ixed collar on the innerend of the journal, and a detachable collar, g, with a screw-cap, h, onthe outer end, which keeps the parts in position. The axle Gr is held inplace at the outer end by means of a suitable nut or head, to preventits slipping off. The axle G is attached to the draw-bar, by beingpassed through it, and supported with braces or brace-rods f.

By making the parts heavier these bracerods may be omitted, but I preferto make them light, and use the braces, as shown. The post D of thedraw-bar is hinged at e, and is provided at that point with a stop toprevent the roller A from turning so far as to prevent its being drawninto a proper position by the team. A chain or -strap from the point cwill, however, accomplish the same object, or any other suitable devicemay be attached for this purpose. In turning around, the rollers will bethrown into the position indicated by the dotted lines of Fig. 2, whilein ordinary use they will be in the position shown at Fig. l. A suitabledrivers seat may be provided, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig.l.

In order to prevent any undue weight upon the necks ofthe horses, aseries of holes may be arranged for the pin b, so that the end of thetongue can be raised or lowered by said pin. The journal E may becentrally pivoted to the axle G, as shown at Fig. 3, and when so pivotedthe slot may be made Without converging centrally, but I prefer to useboth the pivot and the centrally-converging slot.

It will be readily seen that these rollers easily conform to thesurface, as they rest upon the axle at a single central point, and thatby reason of this point being placed within the journal there is noundue wear or strain, as the sides of the slot t against the axle, asshown at Fig. 4.

What I claim as new is as follows l. In a land-roller, the combinationof the axle and joint or journal at or near the center of the roller,allowing the roller to have a free vertical rocking motion7substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The hub l, journal E, with central operr ing converging each Way fromthe center, in combination with axle G and collar F, substantially itszuid for the purpose herein specified.

3. The roilcrs A A', in combination with the draw-bar C D, hinged at cbetween the axles' G G, substantially as and for the purpose hereindescribed.

JOHN YVOOLRIDGE.

Witnesses:

E. A. WEST, O. XV. BOND.

